Risky Business Redux
by MaddieNicole
Summary: Based on the season 5 episode "Risky Business". This story follows the original plot closely, but with a JJ/Hotch twist! It is not completely essential to have seen the episode since I did my best to write in parallel with it, but if you have I'd say you'd have a leg up when reading ;)


A/N – Happy 8th season! This story took a long time to get right. I've revised, rewritten, bled and sweat over this piece. I am sure it can still be improved, but this has been in the making for a long time and I NEED TO POST IT. I am proud of this piece, but as always, reviews (good and bad) are enthusiastically welcome.

Summary: Based on the season 6 episode "Risky Business". This story follows the original plot closely, but with a JJ/Hotch twist! It is not completely essential to have seen the episode since I did my best to write in parallel with it, but if you have I'd say you'd have a leg up when reading ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

"Risky Business" Redux

Aaron Hotchner listened as Jennifer Jareau presented the case to him. She stood at the other side of his desk and briefed him of the facts surrounding the suicides in Evanston, Wyoming. He flipped through the files she had handed him minutes before and considered her arguments.

"JJ, we don't—"

"I know we don't handle suicides. I just…something isn't right. Four teens deciding to hang themselves the past two Fridays in the same rural county around the same time at night is well above the national average. These were good kids; no history of anti-depressants, arrests or drug abuse...they were all low-risk, good kids…"

Sensing his hesitation, JJ sat down and took a breath.

"When someone feels trapped in what feels like a hopeless situation, pulling the trigger or swallowing pills or hanging yourself seems to be the only way out. None of that exists here," JJ said.

Something in her voice caught Hotch's attention. He closed the files, stood up and made his way towards JJ. He leaned back against his desk and watched as she anxiously bit her bottom lip. It was a habit of hers she did when she was nervous or deep in thought. He liked to tease her about it, but only because he found it so endearing.

Hotch focused his attention back to the woman seated in front of him.

"JJ, I know this must be hard for you," Hotch began. JJ had mentioned losing a sister to suicide when she was young but he didn't know the details. JJ sensed where he was headed and, desperate to steer the conversation in the other direction, used the last weapon she had at her disposal.

"Aaron."

Her voice was so quiet that Hotch was sure he would have missed it had he not been watching her so closely. JJ brought her eyes to meet his and sat up a little straighter. "Something's really wrong here, I can feel it." She watched Aaron fold his arms in front of him and dip his head in thought. "Look, all these events happened on a Friday, it's Wednesday. We're not on another case right now."

Aaron remained silent as he debated what to do. He had no doubt that JJ had an eye for the cases that needed the team's attention, but he was worried about her. It was clear to him that the case was already personal to JJ which left her in a vulnerable position.

He twisted to his left and reached for the case files. He looked through Trish Leake's folder and then those of the other three teens. Their photos smiled up at him, all four of them good kids. All four of them dead.

Hotch sighed. "Launch an equivocal death investigation; we will brief the team on the jet in the morning."

"Thank you, Hotch." JJ let out the breath she'd been holding. She knew Aaron was hesitant to take the case for reasons other than the fact the case involved apparent suicides rather than murders. While they had an unspoken, cardinal rule that their personal relationship would never interfere with the work of the BAU, she knew Aaron. He had been protective of her before they had even started dating and that instinct had only intensified once they decided to pursue their relationship.

Hotch nodded as he placed the folders back on his desk. When JJ stood, he grabbed her left hand with his right. "JJ." He paused. Hotch carefully considered his next words. "Will you promise to tell me if you need a break when we are there?" He peered into eyes, not caring to hide the concern in them.

She squeezed his hand and stepped closer him. "I will. I promise." In an effort to prove her sincerity she offered him a smile.

Hotch gazed into her blue eyes. He knew he could trust her but his protectiveness would never go away. They both knew it. "Okay," he said and released his hand from hers. "Let the team know we'll be leaving in the morning."

JJ nodded and headed towards his office door.

"Do you and Henry still want to come over for dinner tonight?" Hotch called after her.

JJ turned with a suspicious look. "You mean do we want to come over for take out?" Her eyes sparkled with humor as she tried to hide the smile forming on her lips.

"No," Hotch insisted defensively. JJ raised an eyebrow and waited. With a smile he continued, "Pizza delivery."

/XXX/

"Did you remember the—"

"I remembered," Hotch answered her easily. He smiled at JJ over their go-bags in the backseat of his SUV. He had picked her up earlier that morning and they had just arrived at Quantico.

JJ returned his smile and rolled her eyes. She didn't say anything, preferring to distract herself with her bag's luggage tag where her name and contact information were neatly written. Hotch grabbed his bag, shut the rear driver's side door and walked around to the other side where JJ stood, still adjusting her luggage tag.

He set his bag on the cement ground of the parking garage and grasped her elbow. "JJ."

JJ stilled her hands and sighed. "I'm fine," she assured him.

"Are you?" he pushed. He turned her towards him. They were blocked from the rest of the garage by his SUV. "You're fretting over a luggage tag that I assure you says the same thing it did last night when you packed it," he said calmly. "You're anxious."

JJ huffed out a breath. She hated profilers. "Damn profilers," she cursed, unable to stop the small smile form on her lips.

Hotch chuckled and stepped closer to his girlfriend circling his arms around her. "You love it," he gently teased. JJ let out a small laugh and wrapped her arms around him. She let herself get lost in their embrace. She briefly closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. As cliché as it was, his smell always calmed her and gave her a sense of security.

"Jayje, are you good?" Hotch asked, after giving her a moment. He knew her sister's death hadn't left her mind at all the previous night. He had wanted her to stay over at his place, but she had insisted it was better for her and Henry to head home.

"_Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Hotch asked. He placed a hand on her hip and the other on Henry's back. At her stubborn look he sighed. Hotch took the sleeping child from JJ's arms and settled him into the car seat. Once Henry was secure, Aaron straightened and faced her._

"_Having dinner with you, Jack and Henry really cheered me up. I'm fine." JJ leaned in and gave him a kiss. As she ended it, Hotch's grip on her waist tightened. JJ leaned into him again, wrapping her arms around him and claiming his lips with hers. Her kiss was passionate, which Aaron responded to with the same intensity. Both of them pulled back slowly, not completely wanting to let the other go. _

"_See you in the morning?" she asked._

_Aaron nodded. "I'll pick you up at seven thirty sharp." He placed a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "Drive safe."_

"I'm good," JJ mumbled into his chest, jerking Hotch back to the present. She lowered her arms and leaned back. "I am just anxious to get moving on this case. I want to get there, do our thing and just…fix it." She threaded her hands through her hair in frustration. She knew she needed to get a grip, especially since she'd be on a plane full of FBI profilers which included her intuitive Aaron Hotchner.

JJ rested her hands against his chest. "I know I don't have much of a case," she grimaced at her choice of words. Hotch just watched her, patiently waiting for her to continue. "But I promise am focused," she added softly. She looked into Hotch's concerned eyes with all the sincerity she could muster.

Hotch nodded. "Good." He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "Because I promised the boys we'd be back as soon as possible so we could all finish 'Finding Miko' together."

"_Finding Nemo_ you mean?" JJ laughed. "Some FBI agent you are; can't even remember movie titles!" she teased.

Hotch offered her one of his full, genuine smiles which he often had when Henry or Jack were mentioned. "You caught me."

He released her and picked up his bag while she grabbed her own out of the car and shut the door.

The two walked towards the entrance to the airstrip where they would meet the team on the jet. "Just remember—"

"That I'll tell you if I need a break," JJ finished for him. "I'll remember my promise just as efficiently as you remembered—"

"Good," Hotch cut her off with a smirk as he opened the door for her. JJ winked at him as she walked past.

/XXX/

"So," Emily started as she took a seat next to JJ. "What's up Jayje?"

JJ looked up, startled. She was reviewing Ryan Krauss' file and was under the impression Hotch was sitting next to her, not Emily.

"Uhm…" JJ stalled.

Emily cocked her head to the side. "You okay?"

JJ frowned. She wasn't under the impression she was projecting any unease about the case. She silently cursed Aaron for going somewhere and leaving an opening for Emily to ask questions.

"What do you mean? I'm fine." She looked back down at Ryan's folder.

"'Spontaneous proclamations of love'," Emily recited, repeating JJ's words from earlier.

"Yeah. So? It is common in situations involving…" JJ stopped midsentence. "In these kind of situations," she finished defensively.

Emily considered JJ's answer when Hotch suddenly appeared on his way back from the kitchenette area of the jet. He was distracted, busy reading a report he balanced precariously in one hand while he carried his tea with the other. With practiced skill he sat down at the other side of the small table, seemingly oblivious to the two women across from him.

Emily glanced in his direction, wondering if she should go on. JJ, on the other hand, tightly pinched the sides of the file she was reading. She prayed that Emily stopped her line of questioning, especially since Aaron was now in their vicinity.

Ultimately deciding their conversation was harmless and oblivious to JJ's tension, Emily continued. "Sounds like you have been through this type of thing before," Emily said, wondering how correct her statement was.

"Sounds like you're overanalyzing," JJ countered, letting out a nervous laugh.

Emily raised her eyebrows at JJ. She looked to Hotch for some sort of indication she was way off base but he didn't look up, appearing to be submerged in what he was reading.

"Okay. If you say so," Emily said, taking her leave.

Once Emily took her seat on the other side of the plane, Aaron allowed his eyes to shift upwards towards JJ. He knew she could sense his eyes on her, as she always did, but JJ refused to acknowledge him. Hotch sighed at her stubbornness and leaned back, capping his pen. "Hey."

"Hi," JJ said and greeted him with a tight smile. After a beat she lowered her gaze to Ryan Krauss' file.

Before Aaron could stop himself he questioned JJ. "Everything—"

"Fine," JJ interrupted while her eyes stayed glued to the pages in front of her. She was really getting sick of people asking if she was okay and her good mood from earlier in the morning was rapidly dissipating.

At her despondent attitude, Hotch decided there was no point in pushing her. JJ was clearly in one of her moods and unfortunately it wasn't one of her more pleasant ones. He knew from experience the best thing he could do was to let her be.

He sighed, uncapped his pen and began to pick up reading where he had left off.

/XXX/

"JJ," Hotch began.

"I know, I shouldn't have said 'if'," JJ admitted. She stared at the dry erase board in front of her.

She, Emily and Hotch had just returned from the Leakes' home where she had accidentally suggested their daughter's death wasn't a result of suicide.

At Hotch's penetrating gaze she continued. "Look, I'm not invested in these not being suicides." She averted her eyes and after a beat of silence, tried to explain herself. "I wish I knew of a way to make things better for them."

Hotch watched JJ stare into space, lost in her thoughts. "We can't fix everything JJ."

"I know," she said. Before he could mask it, JJ saw concern on Hotch's face. "It was a stupid slip, Hotch. I know better."

"I know you do." Hotch glanced around them, assessing if anyone was within earshot. He faced JJ. "I wish I could make this case easier on you."

She offered him a small smile before turning back to the case notes taped all over the white board. "What's our next move?" she asked, eager to move on.

Hotch followed her lead and faced ahead. "Garcia is working on Trish's computer now. Hopefully she'll be able to tell us which websites Trish visited the night of her death," Hotch said, carefully choosing his words. He took a breath, about to say something, but JJ already knew the question he wanted to ask.

"I'm fine Aaron," she whispered. The two of them still stood next to each other, facing the white board. "Stop worrying so much. You wouldn't be like this if we weren't—"

"You don't know that," Hotch answered quickly, cutting JJ off. Embarrassed at his knee-jerk response to her words, he looked down at the floor. "Perhaps I wouldn't have been as…vocal about it before but, well…" Hotch cleared his throat and raised his head, not really seeing the various photographs taped onto the board in front of them. "Things change, don't they?" he finished. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, trying to gauge JJ's reaction.

"I got it!" Garcia said, grabbing their attention. "It was just a basic trojan horse I needed to get around," she explained. Hotch and JJ went back to the rest of the team. "Oh, God."

"What did you find, Garcia?" Hotch asked. He crossed his arms and waited for his tech analyst's report.

"She uh, she visited a choking game website the night she died," Penelope answered. At the team's silence she continued. "It's a game where kids choke themselves to get buzzed, get a high."

"It is called the 'good kids high'," Reid reported as he walked towards the group with Morgan directly behind him. "You get lightheaded and a sense of euphoria even though no drugs are involved."

"Did Ryan have a computer that allowed him access to the website?" Hotch asked.

"No, not in his room," Morgan cut in.

"What about a gaming system? Kids will find ways to get online if they want to," Garcia prodded.

"Yeah! Here's the IP address." Reid handed over a slip of paper to her. She pressed a few more keys on her keyboard and nodded in affirmation.

"Bingo. Ryan was on the exact same site the night he died."

The team let out collective gasps. "It wasn't suicide," Morgan said, recovering first. He turned to JJ who was standing next to him. "Good eye, Jareau."

JJ's breath hitched which caught his attention.

"Jayje, you okay?" he quietly asked her.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Just a little shocked kids could think this was…a game," she choked out.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Morgan turned his attention back to the team.

JJ creased her eyebrows, unsure of what to feel. While they had just confirmed the deaths were not suicides, she hadn't felt the relief she expected. Instead, she could feel anger and frustration bubbling in her chest. The fact teenagers were being so careless with their lives made her cringe. The kids all had families that loved them, just as her sister did, but none of that seemed to matter.

"Hang on guys, there's an audio file," Garcia said. She clicked on the link on her screen.

"_Come on, play. We all do it. I dare you," _said a voice through the computer's speakers.

"'I dare you'?!" Prentiss gasped. "Someone was orchestrating this!" She pointed at the monitor in front of her and looked at her colleagues. "They were purposefully getting these kids to choke themselves!" she said with obvious disgust.

The team remained silent, taking in the new information. After a moment, Rossi placed his hands on his hips. "What else is there, Garcia?"

Without hesitation, Penelope had answers for him. "There is a whole subculture to this game. Kids make up names for it, do it at parties…" she let her sentence drift as she kept investigating the site.

"So someone is targeting the kids in this area to play this game," Rossi concluded.

Garcia let out another gasp. "It's…It's a—"

When Garcia couldn't finish JJ leaned over and read the screen. "It's a contest," JJ whispered, disbelief evident on her face. She straightened up and crossed her arms. "You have got to be kidding me!" JJ snapped.

The tone in JJ's voice wasn't one Morgan could label, but he could tell something was off. His friend was taking things way too personally which was a bad sign. He noticed his unit chief watching his media liaison with an indiscernible look on his face.

Garcia broke the awkward silence first. "Yes. An…And there are rules: 'Come on Evans High, this is the big one. Garfield edged out Casper High last week, are you gonna let them diss us?'"

"'Diss' sounds like a kid," Emily commented.

"Well leave it to a damn kid to be so reckless," JJ spat out. Her voice was laced with repulsion. Now the anger and frustration that had welled up within her was threatening to break the surface and explode. She bit her lip in an effort keep her cool and remain in control.

Emily and Morgan exchanged confused looks at JJ's uncensored words. It was unusual for her to be so blunt and callous. They both glanced at their boss in time to see him close his eyes for a second and take a controlled breath. Morgan raised his eyebrows and shrugged at Emily, not sure what to think of Hotch's reaction.

"Well it certainly takes a reckless person to pitch schools against each other like this," Rossi commented, agreeing with JJ. "This is classic teenaged competition."

"'The school that logs the most ratings wins,'" Garcia read from the website. "'Get your friends on board, practice makes the high last longer. Gotta do it alone, record it with your webcam and upload it to the site in order for it to count.'"

"This person is encouraging these kids to play the deadliest form of the game as possible. Playing it alone would mean no one would be able to revive them," Reid said.

JJ scoffed, flabbergasted that the participants were blatantly taking their lives for granted. Without saying anything, she immediately walked away. The team watched her leave and then all of them unconsciously turned to Hotch for some sort of explanation.

Aaron ignored their stares and began to set a plan in motion. "We need to alert the parents and faculty about the situation. Prentiss work with JJ and Sheriff Samuels and set up a Q&A session. Stress the warning signs they need to watch out for." Emily nodded and left to find the sheriff. "Morgan," Hotch continued, "you and Reid go to the school and begin to talk to the students. Warn them about the dangers of this. Be tough if you have to."

Once Morgan and Reid left to plan, Rossi and Hotch stepped closer to each other while Garcia continued to investigate via her computer in front of them.

"JJ all right?" Dave asked his friend.

Aaron glanced towards the hallway where JJ had disappeared into the women's restroom. "I don't know." Hotch shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around, determined not to be emotionally transparent

Rossi nodded. He figured there was more to what Aaron was saying but decided not to push it. "I'm going to hang around here, dig into the kids' extracurriculars and the kinds of crowds they hung with. Maybe I can find something that can help Morgan and Reid when they get to the school."

"All right," Hotch agreed absentmindedly. His attention wasn't on Rossi but rather on JJ and the helplessness he felt. He frowned, feeling restless. "Garcia?"

"Sir?"

"Go check on JJ," Hotch clipped out before he turned and walked away.

He wished he could do something—anything—to help JJ personally, but he had to hold himself to a professional standard which meant staying focused on the case. The second he didn't, things would hit the fan, so to speak. Instead, he sent the next best person to JJ; he knew if anyone could break through to her it would be Garcia.

/XXX/

"Why didn't you say anything?!" JJ demanded. She was standing on the opposite side of the desk where Garcia sat. The team had just been forced to release Christopher into his father's custody twenty minutes before. Garcia, having had talked to the kid, had set the earring he'd given her on her desk where JJ had seen it.

JJ'd gasped and snatched up the earring before she'd pounced on Penelope about it.

"I didn't think it was important. I—"

"Not important!? It damn well is!"

The team stood around Garcia's make-shift desk at the station gaping at JJ's outburst. No one knew how to react to the situation that occurred before their eyes. The only sound that cut through the tense silence was of JJ's deep breaths. She was frustrated, convinced they weren't doing enough.

"Jayje, we're doing all we can. There are things we need to do before we jump to any conclusions. You know that," Morgan cut in.

"That's a mistake!" JJ insisted. "Kids are being killed, they aren't killing themselves! But Christopher…he will. This proves it!" JJ said as she held up the earring. JJ pointed her finger at Garcia. "And you did nothing!"

Garcia stilled, frozen in shock. Reid looked afraid and Prentiss kept opening, then closing, her mouth. The team was absolutely dumbfounded by JJ's behavior. JJ, who was always composed and in control, was unraveling in front of them.

"Hey now! We don't know that," Morgan countered, raising his voice a little.

JJ threw up her arms. She was yelling now and on a downwards spiral. "Oh come on Morgan! Cut the crap! Deep down you know—"

"Let's take a walk." Rossi stepped forward and grasped JJ's elbow.

JJ wrenched her arm from his grip as if she had been burned. "Get off me!"

Hotch had seen enough. "JJ," he said with a serious tone. His voice was dangerously quiet. "Come with me. Now."

Hotch left no room for argument as he began to walk towards the exit of the sheriff's office.

JJ clenched her jaw, tossed the earring onto the desk and followed him. The tension she saw in Aaron's shoulders warned her just how angry he was but JJ was too infuriated to care. She shoved the doors open, walking behind him as he followed the sidewalk around the corner.

He stopped and watched her approach and stand in front of him. It was dark out, save for the faint moonlight and dim lights lining the side of the building.

"JJ you made me a promise. Remember?" His question yielded no response from JJ so Hotch continued. "You are out of line and you aren't using your head. You need a break."

JJ rested her hands on her hips and huffed out a breath. She shook her head, annoyed he had dragged her outside.

"JJ, since the day you asked me to take this case you've been on edge. You pulled a rookie mistake during a preliminary interview which is so out of character for you even Prentiss questioned it." Hotch watched her absorb what he said. "The team is concerned, including me."

JJ had yet to say anything. She continued to stare at the ground, inadvertently admitting defeat. JJ had done her best to remain emotionally detached from the investigation but her efforts hadn't been enough.

"From now on I need you to stay here at the station," Hotch said. JJ jerked her head and looked up at him, clearly upset. She was about to object but Hotch silenced her with his glare. "You aren't in control so you aren't going into the field."

JJ struggled to keep her emotions in check but her demeanor was beginning to crack. She was angry that no one was listening to her and now Hotch was telling her to take a back seat in the investigation. These realizations caused JJ to become desperate; she couldn't let him prevent her from seeing the case through.

"Aaron!" she protested.

"No!" he snapped. "No. I put my judgment on the back burner three times now JJ! You're lucky I'm not sending you back to the hotel." He had raised his voice at her which surprised them both. Aaron Hotchner had always remained in control of his emotions. However, he found that when it came to JJ, it was difficult to keep his cool when he was worried.

Hotch paced up and down the sidewalk in an attempt to calm down. He stopped and raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He briefly shut his eyes hoping to get JJ's upset face out of his mind. He took a deep breath and opened them. "This is a call I have to make, JJ," he gently told her.

The anger he saw flash across her face made him inwardly cringe, but he had once again gained control of his emotions and his stoic mask was firmly back in place. The two agents stared at each other. A battle of wills was being played out and neither of them planned to back down.

Rossi appeared, letting them know the team had a new theory to share. "Is everything okay out here?" he asked before he left to go back inside.

Hotch glanced at Dave while JJ remained silent. "I'll be there in a minute," Hotch answered, avoiding Rossi's question. JJ's eyes grew big at the implications of Hotch's statement.

Dave's forehead crinkled in concern. "Okay."

Hotch turned back to JJ as Rossi headed back into the station. "You said you weren't sending me back to the hotel!" she protested.

"I want you to stay out here and cool off for a bit. Take a few minutes." His heart tugged at his chest, empathizing with JJ. "Call Henry or Jack, that'll help," Hotch suggested.

Irritated, JJ turned away from him. After wringing her hands though her hair and letting out a groan of frustration she faced Hotch once again. "This is—"

JJ ceased what she was about to say. Hotch's gaze gave her a sense of clarity; she wouldn't be able to change his mind on the matter. "Fine, Hotch," she quietly said.

Aaron watched her shoulders rise and fall as she took a deep breath. He knew this argument tested their relationship which hurt to think about.

However, he also knew he promised to keep their professional and personal lives separate so he forced himself away from that line of thinking. Instead he considered how he would have already gone inside if he had been having this conversation with any other member of his team.

Hotch began to walk towards the doors to the station. However, he couldn't resist gently pulling her to him so he could quickly kiss the side of her head as he passed.

/XXX/

"Hotch," Morgan said. He'd just ended a phone call with the sheriff. "Samuels said they found disks at the Summers' residence. How much you want to bet they are videos of the teens choking themselves?"

JJ was pacing, a habit she'd picked up from Hotch, while she brainstormed ways the team could catch their unsub.

"That means Summers didn't have time to go home and collect his trophies so he'll find another way to get them." Hotch said as he paced at the other end of the table, unintentionally mirroring JJ.

"He's going to go somewhere and download those videos tonight," Dave said. He turned to their tech analyst. "We've got to stop that process, Garcia."

"Already done," she responded. Her fingers were moving a mile a minute as various codes flitted across her monitor. "When he logs onto the website he will be rerouted to our server and we'll be able to get his information."

"If he's not at the house where is he going to go to do that?" Emily asked the group.

JJ stopped her pacing and her eyes grew big in realization. "It's the mother!" The team looked at her, with the exception of Garcia, who was still working on her keyboard. "It is all about the mother!" JJ reaffirmed. She walked over to the white board and quickly scanned it.

"Dave," she said, turning to the agent. "You said that she died suspiciously and that she had fallen ill then recovered 'miraculously' multiple times. Her sternum was bruised just as Christopher's is." JJ leaned forward, her palms flat on the table in front of her. "Don't you see? We know the mother was Summers' first victim and her name was Christopher's password." JJ shifted her gaze to Garcia. "Pen, find out where the mother is buried."

"Jayje, Summers is going to need a power source in order to download the videos. He's not going to find that at a cemetery," Morgan said.

JJ ignored him. "Garcia?"

"Uhm…oh! Got it! She's buried in Oakwood Cemetery and it has a chapel."

JJ looked at the rest of the team, silently daring them to say she was wrong.

"Grab your vests, let's go," Hotch ordered. The team scattered to get ready. Hotch gave JJ a proud look and nodded. She returned it with a brief glance before anxiously looking down at Garcia's computer screen.

"Garcia, stay on that website," Hotch ordered. "We'll call you from the car."

He strapped on his vest and began to exit the building, fixing his earpiece on the way. Once he and the team stepped outside they headed towards their vehicles. "Morgan, team with Prentiss and Reid. Dave, you're with me."

/XXX/

The rest of the team had just left, on their way to the chapel. JJ watched Garcia work her magic at her computer, her hands moving rapidly across the keyboard.

"Pen," JJ said. She moved closer to where her friend was sitting. "I'm sorry. About earlier. I shouldn't have taken my issues out on you," JJ apologized.

Garcia stopped what she was doing and turned to the woman standing next to her. She offered JJ a smile. "Don't worry about it, Sunshine. We all have our moments," Penelope said. JJ searched Garcia's eyes and saw nothing but sincere forgiveness.

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Pen, you're too good to me."

"And you need to lighten up, sweetie." She gave JJ a knowing look before turning back to her computer. "Maybe the boss man can help with that," she said under her breath.

"What did you say?" JJ asked, alarmed.

Penelope smiled. "Nothing."

JJ took a deep breath. She was pretty sure what the tech analyst had said and the comment flustered her.

"Oh!" Garcia's hands paused. "He's logging into the website!"

/XXX/

In the car, Dave's phone rang. "Yeah, Garcia?" Dave answered.

"Summers just logged on."

"Is he downloading the videos?"

"He's trying to but all he's gonna get is snow," Garcia reported from the station where JJ began pacing again. She paused every once in a while to lean towards Garcia's monitor to watch the website's activity.

"Good, thanks Garcia," JJ heard Rossi say and the line disconnected.

Feeling antsy, JJ went to the water cooler and filled a Styrofoam cup. She took three gulps of water and told herself to calm down. She didn't know why she was feeling so unsettled. Hotch had tracked down unsubs every time the team took a case so JJ didn't understand why she was so anxious. Her best guess was because of they hadn't had time to discuss their disagreement and now he was going into a dangerous situation. They hadn't had time to deal with the aftermath of their argument and while arguments rarely happened between them, they've always communicated their feelings immediately, rather than let them build up.

Then it occurred to JJ that she didn't tell him she'd see him later or to be careful, things she was always sure to tell him when they were about to take down a suspect.

She grabbed her phone from her pocket and texted a message.

Back in the SUV, Hotch's phone chirped. He unlocked it and saw a text from JJ.

"Is that a good idea?" Rossi asked him. His hand was braced on the hand grip above his head. They were trying to keep up with Morgan who had no problem driving fast.

"No," Hotch admitted, but that didn't stop him from reading her message.

_Be safe. I'll see you soon._

The text lifted his spirits. He had been uneasy leaving without talking to JJ.

Knowing Rossi would protest if he attempted to text while driving, Hotch locked his phone and set it on the dash.

"You okay?"

Hotch glanced over at Dave. "Yeah, I just…" he let his sentence drift, not entirely sure what to say to his friend. "Better now," he finally said.

Dave smirked. "Someone's whipped," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" Hotch snapped.

Rossi smiled. "Nothing."

Hotch considered his Dave's behavior and didn't like it. He and JJ were careful to keep things professional when around their coworkers, Rossi included. Hotch sighed, preferring not to think about the possibility that Dave knew more than he should.

A minute later Hotch pulled into the small drive in front of Oakwood's chapel. He grabbed his phone as he got out of the SUV and immediately sent JJ a quick text.

_Always. You will. _

/XXX/

The apprehension of Summers went as well as it could have, considering Christopher was used as a hostage. The standoff had ended peacefully without one gun being fired, which Hotch categorized a success given the circumstances.

He now stood amongst numerous law enforcement vehicles and flashing lights and watched Summers be driven away from the scene. Hotch pulled out his phone and speed dialed JJ. He listened, waiting for her to pick up when the sound of a car pulling up distracted him.

The doors opened and JJ appeared. Aaron watched as she pressed a button on her ringing phone. Having yet to spot him, JJ brought her Blackberry to her ear. "Hey Hotch," she greeted into the phone.

"It's good to see you."

A slow smile grew on JJ's lips. She quickly scanned the scene in front of her, searching for him. Finally, her eyes spotted him in front of a squad car, looking at her.

"Told you you'd see me again soon." With that, he ended his call and turned his attention towards Prentiss who was approaching him with an officer

JJ took the moment to observe her surroundings. Penelope had gone over to Christopher to offer her support while police officers milled around them.

"Thank you for coming all the way out here, to our small town." Sheriff Samuels said from behind her. She came to a stop in front of JJ. "The fact that the FBI came all the way to Evanston to help us out is remarkable. You guys are great at what you do."

JJ rested her hand on Samuels' arm and gave it a light squeeze. "I'm glad we were able to help you."

"I'm on my way to tell the families what really happened to their kids, why don't you come?"

JJ was surprised by the offer. Usually the local police liked to jump at the chance to take the credit for the BAU's work. However, there was something she admired about the sheriff and felt she'd be intruding on something sacred to the woman. "No, thank you. I have to be here."

Sheriff Samuels quirked her head and eyed the agent. "Okay. Good luck, Agent Jareau."

"Thanks. Same to you," JJ said. She watched Samuels walk towards her vehicle, obviously eager to spread the news to the families. While it didn't bring their children back, it offered a tiny bit of consolation to know the teens did not intentionally leave them.

She glanced over at the ambulance where Garcia was still talking to Christopher. A small smile appeared on his face in response to something Penelope had said.

"Makes this feel like one for the good guys, doesn't it?" JJ said. She had sensed Hotch near her and sure enough, he was standing at her side. "The fact that he can still offer a smile, even if it is barely there…Even though he lost both of his parents I think he will be okay."

"A lot of kids will be okay, thanks to you," Hotch praised her. "You pushed this case, if you hadn't we would have never come here."

"Yeah, Garcia can work wonders with computers and teenagers, can't she?" JJ said. Hotch rolled his eyes and smirked at JJ's modesty.

"Hotch," JJ started. She had turned and faced him in order to give him her full attention. Hotch angled his body towards hers and waited. "I'm sorry for my earlier outbursts. I wish I hadn't put you in that position."

Hotch thought about what he should say to her. He knew JJ was embarrassed by her actions and that she didn't require any further reprimanding from him. "I understand this case was difficult for you JJ. However, next time you need to know and acknowledge your limits before becoming so emotional." He kept his tone gentle with her.

"I know." JJ kept her response brief, expecting Hotch to say more.

"I told you once before that it is okay to take a backseat once in a while."

"Yeah," JJ sighed.

Deciding to move on, Hotch changed the subject. "We're staying the night tonight and leaving in the morning."

"The rooms are already reserved," JJ told him.

JJ could see Hotch hesitating before he spoke.

"What is it?" she asked him.

Aaron looked around and avoided JJ's eyes.

"Well?" JJ persisted.

"This may be slightly hypocritical of me with what I've been saying but…" Hotch let his sentence drift off. He stilled and brought his eyes to look into hers. "Stay with me tonight?" he blurted out.

JJ raised her eyebrows, surprised at his request. He had never asked her to stay with him while they were out on a case, even the bad ones. There had been times, after a hard day and only a hotel room to go back to, that she had wanted nothing more than tell Aaron to hold her during the night. However, she never dared to ask him to do so. She had promised herself that she'd never intentionally put him in a position where he'd be forced to choose between their personal needs and their professional standards.

"Are you sure? We never—"

"I want you to have someone, JJ," he said very quietly. He shifted his gaze to those around them, trying to keep track of where their team members were.

JJ cringed, realizing the reason for his invite. "I don't need your pity."

"JJ!" Hotch said with a curt tone. "That's not what it is."

At his insistent words JJ knew it would be futile to argue with him.

"I need to check in with the rest of the team. I'll text you, all right?" Hotch said.

JJ nodded. "I'll go tell Garcia we're leaving in the morning. Let me know when you are ready to go." She went to go inform Penelope of the plan as Hotch headed in the other direction to look for the rest of his team.

As he walked, Aaron silently began plotting a way for JJ to sneak into his room which made him roll his eyes once again. He hadn't expected to be acting like a teenager at his age, but he knew being with JJ all night and each of their jobs were both worth the secretive nature of their rendezvous.

/XXX/

Once Aaron entered his room he immediately loosened his tie. It had been a hectic night and it was very late. He turned on the light on the small desk across from the bed and sank into the chair. He lifted his briefcase, setting it on top of a small pad of paper with the hotel's emblem, too lazy to move it.

He stretched his neck, eventually cracking it which provided some relief. He rubbed his eyes and forced himself to get up so he could shrug out of his suit jacket and unbutton his dress shirt. He kicked off his shoes and socks and padded barefoot into the bathroom.

He splashed cold water onto his face and looked into the mirror. His thoughts drifted to JJ. He had surprised himself when he asked her to stay with him for the night. He wondered if it was a good idea to take such a risk. However, the more he thought of her bright smile, golden hair and wonderful face, he was glad he was ditching protocol for the night. He knew she was emotionally drained so he was determined to comfort her, whether she realized she needed it or not.

He heard the door open and watched her quickly step inside. She had come dressed in the clothes she'd been wearing earlier which made Hotch smile. She'd simply have to sleep in one of his shirts for the night, if not topless, which were two of his favorite looks on her.

After JJ chained the door jam, effectively guaranteeing no one would enter the room, she came and stood in the doorway of the bathroom. She leaned against the door frame and shook her head at him as she fingered the extra room key he smuggled to her earlier.

"There's nothing like a stealth mission to get into my boyfriend's hotel room," she snickered, slipping out of her heels.

Hotch chuckled and pulled her to him. Her arms instinctively went around his neck as she lifted her head to his. He leaned down and whispered into her ear. "I'm glad you're here."

JJ shivered at the feel of his lips lightly grazing her ear as he talked. She turned into his neck. "Me too."

Aaron captured her lips with his and tenderly kissed her. Her tongue demanded entrance to which he willingly obliged. He began to step forwards, leading her backwards out of the bathroom. Once they made it into the sleeping area he turned them around, switching places with her.

Not once had they stopped the heated kiss, which was making JJ weak in the knees. As if he had read her mind, Hotch lifted her up, cupping her bottom with his hands. JJ wrapped her legs around his waist, crossed her ankles and forced him even closer to her.

Aaron groaned at the feel of her heat rubbing against him and slowly lowered them onto the bed. He settled on top of her and began to slide his hands under her top. She pushed his shirt off his shoulders and down his arms. They were still kissing as Hotch slid his hands up her stomach, loving the feel of her soft skin under his fingers.

When JJ lifted her hips towards his, he massaged her breasts through her bra. JJ groaned in frustration at the layers of clothing they still wore.

Hotch lightly nipped her bottom lip before finally ending their passionate kiss and allowing them to come up for air. They both were taking deep breaths, exhilarated by their closeness.

Aaron leaned on his right elbow and stared into JJ's big, blue eyes. He brought a hand up to her cheek. "JJ, we don't need to do this tonight. I know we are both exhausted." It almost pained him to say, but he wanted tonight to be about comfort, not sex. He closed his eyes and sighed. Opening them, he rolled off of her and pulled her with him, so they were lying face to face.

"You're too much of a gentleman sometimes, Aaron. Not to mention a tease!" she joked. Then she grew serious. "I want you, Aaron. Right now. I need to feel you."

Her husky voice made his initial plan disappear from his mind. He moved them again so that he was on his back and she was straddling him. JJ moved her hips and gave him a devilish smile. Aaron sat up and crashed his lips to hers.

"Take off your clothes, JJ" he muttered, smiling against her luscious lips.

JJ returned the smile. "As long as you help me."

Hotch began to move his lips down her neck, stopping just above her shoulder blade. He knew it drove her crazy when he kissed her there.

JJ began to lift her sweater over her head as Aaron undid her jeans. His fingers grazed her lower abdomen which made her crave him even more. Once he lowered her zipper she leaned back, raised her hips and allowed him to slide her jeans and panties off all at once. Soon she was in nothing but her bra and her skin was covered with goosebumps in anticipation.

Hotch paused and dragged a finger down the center of her chest, admiring her body.

"Take off your pants, Aaron," JJ commanded. Hotch loved it when she took control in bed; it made him shiver.

He quickly shredded off his slacks and boxers, freeing his erection which grew even harder as he looked at his girlfriend clad in nothing but her black, lacy bra. Deciding he liked how good it looked, he didn't remove it. Instead he leaned down and teased her with his manhood against her entrance.

"Aaron please. Don't make me beg!" JJ groaned.

Feeling how wet she was, he slowly entered her, shutting his eyes because it felt so amazing to be inside JJ. His JJ.

JJ's jaw dropped as she felt the wonderful sensation of her and Hotch's intimate connection. Aaron moved both of them further down the bed in order to avoid hitting the headboard with their feet. The last thing they needed was Morgan hearing it thud against the wall his room shared with theirs.

Once settled, Hotch drew her into a heated kiss and lowered his hands down to her arching hips. JJ threw her head back as he trailed kisses down her chest, occasionally nipping at her sensitive skin while they fell into a rhythm.

Aaron was sure to go slow at first, enjoying the intimacy. JJ certainly didn't mind and drew lazy circles on his back. Aaron pulled in and out of her wetness with all the tenderness he could offer her. They breathed in each others scent as they enjoyed the ecstasy flowing in slow waves throughout their bodies. Aaron and JJ lost themselves in each other as they expressed their emotions they were forced to hide all day. All their pent up desire for one another was rapidly becoming too much.

As their pace increased, Aaron wrapped one of JJ's slender legs around his waist. Their bodies began to pound against each other, each of them desperate for release. JJ's walls began to tighten around him as Hotch drove her to an exhilarating orgasm. Aaron soon followed and moaned into JJ's mouth.

Afterwards, Hotch slumped against her body with his face against the mattress. He remained inside JJ, quivering at the after effects of his own orgasm.

"JJ," he breathed against her neck, unable to say anything more.

She closed her eyes at the sound of his voice. "Aaron. You're absolutely amazing."

He huffed against her neck, humored by her reaction. Sometimes, foreplay wasn't necessary with them and he was fine with that. Aaron gave her a quick peck before he slowly pulled out of her. He got up and grabbed her hand as he stood. She followed him and undid her bra as she waited for him to pull down the bed covers. He got in and once again, JJ followed. She turned so her back faced him and snuggled close.

"Thank you," she said. Her head rested on top of his muscular arm. "I needed that."

"There's no need to thank me JJ. Being with you is always special." Hotch snaked his arm under hers and across her midsection as he cupped one of her breasts with his hand. He nuzzled the back of her neck and JJ closed her eyes in pleasure. A lazy smile formed on both of their faces.

"I think Garcia may be onto us."

"Pfft. I know Dave is," Aaron warned.

"Damn profilers. And damn snoopy tech analysts," JJ joked though her voice was heavy with exhaustion.

Hotch chuckled against her hair. "I don't think they have any clue about how involved it is. No need to worry."

JJ opened her eyes and craned her neck towards the man she was sharing a bed with. "Sleeping in the same room isn't going to help our case," she snickered.

"They're not going to find out…" Hotch paused, leaning in and kissing her. "…yet," he finished against her mouth. He ended the kiss and settled back onto the pillow.

"Good, I like having you to myself," JJ said.

"I_ love _having you to myself." Hotch gently rubbed the top of her breast with his thumb in soothing movements. He listened to JJ's breathing begin to even out and could tell she was drifting to sleep. "Goodnight JJ. Sweet dreams baby," he whispered.

/XXX/

"Hey," Hotch greeted at the kitchenette of the plane.

"Hey," JJ answered softly. They offered each other full blown smiles. Their night together was exactly what both of them needed and they both knew the other was thinking about it. "Want some?"

"Please." Hotch didn't bother explaining to her how he liked his tea, since JJ already knew.

He cleared his throat and shifted into his professional mode. "JJ I meant what I said at the scene last night. If you hadn't pushed this case, we wouldn't have gone. You did a good job trusting your instincts."

JJ looked up at him as she prepared his tea and offered a tight smile. "Even if that meant acting out? I doubt it." JJ blushed. She was still chastising herself about how unprofessional she'd acted.

Hotch shook his head. "You need to stop doing that."

Confused, JJ ceased preparing his tea. "Stop doing what?"

"You don't give yourself enough credit, JJ."

"I let myself get too close which made me irrational and caused my boss to intervene," she argued, tilting her head. She gave Hotch her best _I-know-I'm-right_ look.

Aaron simply returned with one of his own. "That aside, you did good work."

JJ sighed, not completely believing what he said. In her mind she didn't do much right in Wyoming and it was going to be hard to convince her otherwise, no matter what Hotch said. She began to distract herself with fixing his tea but Hotch stepped in and took the bag and mug from her, doing it himself. "Take the compliment, JJ," he said, giving her a quick glance upwards.

He wordlessly handed JJ her mug she'd set down earlier and picked up his own, taking a sip out of it. The two of them leaned back against the counter side by side, mirroring each other. After a minute Aaron nudged JJ's arm with his elbow.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

JJ cleared her throat and wrinkled her brow. "My sister was the one who got me hooked on tea. Did you know that?" JJ had a soft smile on her face as she reminisced. Then her eyes began to glaze over. The sadness she'd kept in over the past few days threatened to explode from her. Shaking her head, JJ straightened up and turned to set her mug down once again.

"Aaron," she began softly.

"JJ," he shook his head. "You don't have to." Hotch knew the memory of her sister's death was hard on her. He could see the turmoil on her face as the memories came flooding back.

JJ glanced around his back and saw the team was gathered on the other side of the jet, out of earshot. "I want to. I want you to know, because I decided months ago to share my life with you. This is another way I can do so."

JJ realized the weight of her confession and she tried to convey everything she couldn't say in her eyes, just as she had done when the two of them were in bed the night before.

Her words and caring expression captivated Hotch and left him speechless. He felt his heart pound faster as the weight of what she admitted settled on them.

"I want to tell you what happened with my sister."

She reached up and fingered the necklace that laid on her chest, just past her collar bone. "I was eleven when my sister Annie gave this to me. She just came into my room one night and insisted I have it." JJ stared off into space as she recounted the event. "I was so excited; I'd always wanted one just like it." She smiled at the memory. "She told me that no matter what happened, she loved me. That was the last time…"

While she could tell Aaron anything, she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Tears welled up in her eyes so she tried to turn away from him.

Hotch lightly grasped her arm, pulling her back around. He let his hand slide down the sleeve of her maroon sweater to her small hand. He laced their fingers together, squeezing tightly. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Eventually Hotch couldn't stand the limited physical contact he had with her. He quickly brought her hand to his lips so he could give it a tender kiss.

"I want…so badly," he tried to say. Aaron desperately wanted to hug her and whisper words of comfort into her soft hair. He looked at JJ with sad eyes, feeling guilty about the price they had to pay for being colleagues.

"It's okay, Hotch. Not here." JJ paused and chose her next words carefully. "It gets better. One day, you'll be able to think of the mother of your son and it won't hurt."

Aaron frowned, puzzled as to why she had brought up Haley at that moment. Before he could say anything, JJ walked around him and joined the others.

/XXX/

The jet had landed twenty minutes prior and the team was beginning to leave the bullpen for the weekend. After travelling through two time zones twice in three days, exhaustion began to take its toll on each of them. Even Prentiss left, deciding her paperwork could be put off until Monday morning.

Gradually the various office lamps shut off while Hotch finished his reports in his office. He'd offered to take JJ home right away figuring that'd be best for her. He'd felt the need to rescue JJ and from her job considering the roller coaster it'd been the last few days.

"_Let's go. We don't need to go up," Hotch said. He fished out his keys and placed a hand on the small of her back._

"_What are you talking about?" JJ said, pretending to play dumb. She knew Aaron was going into over-protective mode and she wasn't going to let him win. She was fine and she had work to do. "Yes we do." She never slowed her pace as she continued to walk towards the elevators. Rossi, Morgan, Prentiss, Garcia and Reid were about ten yards ahead of them._

_Aaron sighed and gave his girlfriend a stern look. "No, we don't." Out of the corner of his eye he saw the rest of the team begin to slow down, curious about his and JJ's conversation. He pursed his lips in annoyance._

_At his response JJ stopped and turned to him. "Aaron," she hissed. "Stop. I'm fine. Just because I teared up on the plane doesn't mean I get to skip out on work." She watched as he tilted his head and sized her up in true Hotch fashion. JJ grew impatient. "You have things to do, too!" she said, raising her voice more than necessary. The two of them immediately glanced towards the rest of the team who were now standing at the elevators blatantly watching them. _

_Aaron turned back to JJ and pursed his lips even more. _

_JJ shut her eyes and let out a breath. "Sorry," groaned. She peeked at him as she began to blush. "Come on, it'll look worse if we leave now." JJ hoisted her go bag further up her shoulder and began to walk away from him. _

"_Nice, JJ," he said sarcastically to her back, just loud enough for her to hear._

_JJ smiled, proud of herself for getting her way. "Hold the elevator, guys!" she called to the team. _

Hotch shook his head and grinned what had transpired earlier. He had to admit that JJ was sly sometimes and she almost always managed to trick him when she wanted to get her way. Though he'd never admit it, if and when her sneaky tactics didn't work he'd still give her anything she wanted. Either way, he was over what had happened in the garage and was graceful enough to accept defeat.

Hotch signed off on the last report and sat back. He rubbed his eyes and rested his head against his chair. JJ was currently proving his earlier reservations wrong by working diligently on the various case files that cluttered her desk. And he only knew that because Emily said so when she said goodnight.

Hotch stared at the ceiling of his office and thought about his actions during the last case. He began to wonder if he was being too lax when it came to saving Agent Hotchner for the office and Aaron for everything else that involved JJ.

Deciding he was too tired to think about it, Hotch stood up and began to gather his things. He glanced at the clock and realized the two have them had been working for over an hour. He wasn't surprised that JJ hadn't come to get him yet since she was becoming as much of a workaholic as he was. Deciding it was time for them to head home and get some rest Hotch shut off his desk light and walked out of his office towards JJ's.

At her doorway he knocked on the door frame. JJ jumped in her seat slightly, startled by his presence. "Done already?" she asked. JJ rested her cheek against her propped up palm and gave Hotch a dazed look.

"Yes." Hotch observed how tired she appeared to be and walked slowly over to the chair in front of her desk and took a seat. "You know I don't want you to think I don't appreciate your work ethic, I really do, it's phenomenal and the whole team is lucky to have you. As your boss your dedication is appreciated and-"

"Hotch!" JJ interrupted. She rested her arms on top of the file she'd been reading and leaned forward. "Breathe."

He stared at her and cocked his head to the side. After the thoughts that crossed his mind a few minutes before, he'd attempted to keep their interaction in her office professional. He even hoped the approach would finally convince her to leave. Then he let out a hard breath. He didn't know who he was kidding. She was going to be leaving with him and going home with him. Their plan was anything but professional.

"I think it is time to go now, don't you?" He studied her with his hazel eyes.

JJ sighed as she looked at the heap of folders in front of her. "I'm in the middle of…" At the sudden change in Hotch's demeanor JJ stopped talking. He looked ready to drag her out of the building kicking and screaming if he had to.

"Don't make me blitz you, JJ," Hotch half joked. He walked over to her go-bag and picked it up.

JJ let out a giggle, something she only did when she was tired. Aaron raised his eyebrows at her. "You just giggled. I rest my case," he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," JJ admitted.

"Aren't I always?" Hotch smirked.

JJ rolled her eyes and smiled. "Don't push it, Hotchner."

Aaron chuckled and waited for JJ to get her things together. She looked around, feeling like she was forgetting something. "Phone?" Hotch suggested, seeing it on her desk.

"Oh! Okay. Okay, maybe I'm more tired than I thought." She went to retrieve her phone.

JJ turned back towards Hotch and stepped up to him with a lazy, tired smile. She stopped well into his personal space and gave him a quick kiss. "Thanks for always watching out for me."

"And I'll never stop, baby." Hotch instinctively grabbed her waist and steered her out of the office towards the elevators. The fact JJ didn't even protest him carrying her go-bag made him want to get her home as soon as possible so she could get the rest she so desperately needed.

They remained silent during the ride down to the parking garage. JJ was leaning against the wall of the elevator with her eyes closed. When Hotch watch the lighted floor numbers indicate they were closer to their destination he pulled her into a side hug. "Come on, let's get you home." The elevator dinged and its doors opened. He tightened his grip on her and their eyes met. They smiled at each other and stepped forward, walking to his car, still intertwined. JJ had to admit he was half helping her walk in the right direction. She couldn't believe how tired she became since Hotch had dragged her away from her desk.

When they reached the SUV Hotch released her and ended their companionable silence. "Go on in, I'll throw these in." He began to take the bags off his shoulder while simultaneously unlocking the car.

"Mm kay."

Hotch tossed their bags into the back before he joined JJ in the front. "Jessica's dropping off Jack in the morning. The three of us can go pick up Henry together and go back to your place to watch _Finding Whatever-His-Name-Is_."

JJ giggled, reaffirming her exhaustion. "Sounds good. You'll know they'll want to get right on that. Though all I can dream about is sleeping in at the moment."

Hotch allowed his eyes to roam over her as he turned to back the car out. "I'll wait until Jack gets dropped off and then take him with me to pick up Henry."

"You don't have to do that. I'll be—"

"Fine?" Hotch guessed as he changed the gear into drive.

"You know me too well."

Hotch smiled. "Jack and I will pick Henry up. It'll be our guy time."

JJ didn't say anything in response. While she loved it when Hotch played a surrogate parent to her son, but she was hesitant to do so with Jack. She knew under no circumstances that she could replace his mother and didn't want to confuse the young boy. She supposed Hotch, with his astute profiling skills, noticed her hesitation but he had yet to say anything to her about it.

Sensing JJ's unease, he reached over and grabbed her hand. "JJ, Jack adores you. He loves having you in his life."

JJ smiled, not surprised Aaron had known what she was thinking about.

"You aren't replacing Haley because Jack will never forget her." Aaron fell silent and allowed his words to make an impact on JJ. He now understood why she had brought up Haley on the plane. She doubted her ability to do right by his son even though he knew she was perfect at it.

"I don't want to overstep my bounds, Aaron." JJ paused and debated how to word what she wanted to say next. "Do you…do you ever wonder if we are doing the right thing?" JJ asked him.

"What do you mean, JJ?" he cast a sidelong glance at her.

JJ looked away and out the window and felt weighed down with fatigue. "I don't know. Nevermind."

"You're making me nervous. Are you okay?"

"Much better now that I will get to see the boys soon." She hoped her words put Hotch at ease. She looked over to him and met his eyes with hers. They both smiled as they thought of Henry and Jack. "I called each of them when you kicked me out of the station," JJ admitted.

"JJ—"

"It's okay Aaron. I deserved it. You were right though," she said. "It helped to talk to them."

Hotch grinned, proud of himself. It was very rare that any woman, especially JJ, told him he was right and now she'd done so twice in the same night.

"What did they say to you?" he asked her.

"Mmm, Henry told me he was eating his snack, which was suspiciously late to be doing so since it was close to his dinner time." Hotch chuckled. It was easy for the cute boy to con his way into treats. "Jack said he missed us and couldn't wait to for us to get back."

Hotch squeezed her hand as she recounted what their boys said to her. It made him feel warm inside.

"See, I told you. You make Jack happy. Anyone can see it. Even Morgan and Prentiss notice it."

His statement caught JJ's attention. "What?!" she said. Her voice something in between a yelp and a gulp. Her cheeks immediately flushed with embarrassment.

Aaron snorted at his girlfriend's reaction. "Remember when I took Jack to that small carnival the Bureau hosted?"

"Yeah, you had Jessica drop him off at the office since it was close by," JJ remembered.

Hotch nodded. "When he got there he saw that I was on the phone so he immediately asked for you. Jessica wasn't surprised of course but Morgan and Emily were near by and heard him."

"I think I came into the bullpen around then to hand off some files." JJ smiled, remembering how Jack had run up to her and had given her a hug. "He was so excited to go on the Ferris wheel."

"He made me ride on it with him at least five times," Aaron grumbled. He flicked the turn signal and turned onto another street. "Anyways, he was infatuated with, you like he normally is, and was 'very familiar with you' per Emily's words."

"She never mentioned anything to me. What did you say to them?"

"I told her that Jack and Henry had been having playdates more often. I'm pretty sure they considered it an acceptable answer but Prentiss gave me a look I wasn't sure how to interpret."

JJ groaned. "Great. I'm sure the gossip mill is in full force."

"There's nothing wrong with our boys having playdates," Hotch assured her.

"But there is something wrong with our relationship, not interfering but, maybe leaking? Into work." JJ turned towards him and rested the side of her head on the headrest. She saw Hotch clench his jaw. "I'm happy. So happy. But, this last case, I'm worried I distracted you from it. We agreed that can't happen."

Hotch sighed, understanding where her concern was coming from. "JJ I meant what I said at the station. I would have worried about you just as much before as I do now. At least now I can say something about it to you without overstepping my boundaries. Other than that, nothing's changed in regards to my feelings," Hotch said with his trademark calm demeanor. "It's nothing I can't handle right now."

JJ didn't say anything.

"Can you handle it?" Hotch's heavy question seemed to echo in JJ's head. There was no emotion in his voice. At that moment he was her boss needing to know where her head was at.

"When you left to get Summers, I freaked out because I didn't tell you to be safe or give you a smile. What happens when, God forbid, something happens to you? I wouldn't be able to hide anything from anyone!"

"JJ you can't think like that," Hotch insisted. He wanted to say something that would reassure her.

"Look, we're both tired. Let's revisit this once we've had some sleep and have seen the boys, all right?" Hotch rubbed his thumbs over her soft knuckles. "Then we can evaluate what needs to happen."

"Okay. That's a good idea," JJ agreed. Her eyelids were becoming heavy.

"We're almost home, JJ. I'll wake you when we get there."

Before she closed her eyes she smiled. "Home," she repeated.

Silence blanketed the interior of the car which left Hotch alone with his thoughts. He sighed as he thought about what JJ had said. Was it time to consider JJ's transfer? He hadn't even told her he loved her yet. Surely it was too soon to worry about it.

Aaron stopped breathing when he realized what he had just admitted to himself. He looked over to JJ's sleeping form with a new sense of wonder.

He loved her. Plain and simple. How could he not?

And he loved her son just as much.

He found it easy to accept his newfound revelation. He supposed he had felt this way about Henry and JJ for a while now, but was too busy to notice it. The fact that he could overlook something so important made him cringe. He turned to look at the woman who had captured his heart.

Then he smiled, knowing he was the happiest man on Earth.

/XXX/

Hotch turned off the ignition and lightly squeezed JJ's thigh. "JJ, honey, we're back."

JJ opened her eyes and yawned. She sat up, clearly still sleepy, and unbuckled her seat belt. She looked around, still waking up, to get her bearings. "How long was I out?"

"Only about ten minutes." Aaron stared at her, not moving.

She saw nothing but admiration and perhaps even love, in his eyes. The thought put butterflies in her stomach. She gave him an uneasy smile. "Aaron?"

Shaking his head from his reverie, Hotch handed her his keys so she could get into the apartment while he grabbed their go-bags. JJ exited the car and instantly became more awake when the crisp, night air hit her face. Instead of heading up by herself she waited for Aaron to walk up with her.

Moments later the two of them were in the front room of the Hotchner apartment. "I'm glad we're home," JJ said. Hotch's ears perked at JJ's words. It was the second time she had used the word "home" to describe his apartment and he loved it.

JJ arched her back and raised her arms over her head. She moaned as her sore muscles stretched. Once she was satisfied she seemed to be wide awake. She met Aaron's eyes and gave him a brilliant smile. She didn't know why she was suddenly so happy, but it left her with a warm and content feeling. She found that Aaron's gaze, the same one he had given her in the car when she woke, no longer made her uneasy.

When JJ gave him a huge smile that reached her eyes, the corners of his lips perked up and eventually turned into a smile just as big as hers. Her eyes were bright and reflected the soft glow of the lamp light.

The connection the two of them were sharing was unlike any they'd experience before. Time seemed to freeze, just like it did in romance novels, and they saw nothing but the other. Aaron and JJ knew in that moment that neither of them could ever let each other go. They weren't sure why it was all happening then, after a rough case and a long, tiring night, but they weren't going to question it.

JJ broke through the daze they were in first. The moment they had just shared knocked her off balance, something she hadn't been anticipating. Since they hadn't spoken and were standing by his front door grinning like idiots, JJ spoke. "I'm gonna get ready for bed," JJ said as she turned towards Aaron's room.

"JJ," he said. He grabbed her hand before she got too far from him. He took both of here hands in his and cracked a nervous smile. "I love you."

JJ's breath caught in her chest. She blushed at Aaron's confession. He loved her. He loved _her_. "Are, are you sure?" she asked him, still in shock at what he said.

"Of course I'm sure." Hotch pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her waist.

A light laugh escaped from his lips. He knew JJ had figured out his feelings earlier albeit five minutes ago, but hearing him say them out loud seemed to have surprised her. "I love you. And I love your son. I want you to know that."

The mention of her son jerked JJ out of her haze. She immediately raised her hands to Aaron's face and gave him another genuine smile. "I love you too, Aaron Hotchner."


End file.
